Kfw report: More start-ups again in 2021

After there were significantly fewer start-ups in Germany in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number rose again in 2021.
The number of start-ups in Germany rose slightly in 2021. This is according to the Start-up Report 2022 published by Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). Last year, there were around 61,000 start-ups compared to only around 47,000 in 2020. The decline in the previous year can mainly be explained by the lack of start-ups due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the report.
KfW also identifies shortcomings in the start-up scene. According to the report, female founders make up only 19% of start-ups on a long-term average, compared to 39% of start-ups overall. "The persistently low proportion of women in the start-up scene is a downer in the generally positive development. Gender stereotypes continue to have an impact, both on the part of many female founders and potential financing partners," says KfW Chief Economist Fritzi Köhler-Geib.
The report also shows that the number of venture capital-financed start-ups was less volatile than others. 12%, or around 7,600 start-ups, wanted to finance their potential future growth in this way in 2021. In this area of high capital and growth requirements, the proportion is even lower: only 12% are female founders.

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